Lata Mangeshkar (; born September 28, 1929) is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known and most respected playback singers in India. Other sources cite that she left school because they would not allow her to bring Asha with her, as she would often bring her younger sister with her.
Early movie career in the 1940s
In 1942, when Mangeshkar was 13, her father died of
heart disease.
Master Vinayak (Vinayak Damodar Karnataki), the owner of Navyug Chitrapat movie company and a close friend of the Mangeshkar family, took care of them. He helped Lata get started in a career as a singer and actress.
Mangeshkar sang the song “Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari,” which was composed by Sadashivrao Nevrekar for Vasant Joglekar's Marathi-language movie Kiti Hasaal (1942), but the song was dropped from the final cut. Vinayak gave her a small role in Navyug Chitrapat's Marathi movie Pahili Mangalaa-gaur (1942), in which she sang “Natali Chaitraachi Navalaai,” which was composed by Dada Chandekar. Her first Hindi song was Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu for the Marathi film, Gajaabhaau (1943).
Mangeshkar moved to Mumbai in 1945 when Master Vinayak's company moved its headquarters there. She started taking lessons in Hindustani classical music from Ustad Amanat Ali Khan Bhendibazaarwale. She sang “Paa Lagoon Kar Jori” for Vasant Joglekar's Hindi-language movie Aap Ki Seva Mein (1946), which was composed by Datta Davjekar. Mangeshkar and her sister Asha played minor roles Vinayak's first Hindi-language movie, Badi Maa (1945). In that movie, Lata also sang a bhajan , “Maata Tere Charnon Mein.” She was introduced to music director Vasant Desai during the recording of Vinayak's second Hindi-language movie, Subhadra (1946).
Following the partition of India in 1947, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan Bhendibazaarwale migrated to newly formed Pakistan, so Mangeshkar started to learn classical music under Amanat Khan Devaswale. Pandit Tulsidas Sharma, a pupil of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, also trained her.
After Vinayak's death in 1948, music director Ghulam Haider mentored her as a singer. Haider introduced Mangeshkar to producer Sashadhar Mukherjee, who was working then on the movie Shaheed (1948), but Mukherjee dismissed Mangeshkar's voice as "too thin." An annoyed Haider responded that in the coming years the producers and the directors would "fall at Lata's feet" and "beg her" to sing in their movies. Haider gave Lata her first major break with the song “Dil Mera Toda,” from the movie Majboor (1948).
Initially, Mangeshkar is said to have imitated Noor Jehan, but later she developed her own style of singing. Lyrics of songs in Hindi movies are primarily composed by Urdu poets and contain a higher proportion of Urdu words, including the dialogue. Actor Dilip Kumar once made a mildly disapproving remark about Mangeshkar's Maharashtrian accent while singing Hindi/Urdu songs; so for a period of time, Lata took lessons in Urdu from an Urdu teacher named Shafi.
Mangeshkar won a Filmfare Best Female Playback Award for Salil Chowdhury's composition “Aaja Re Pardesi,” from Madhumati (1958).
In the early fifties, Lata Mangeshkar's association with C. Ramchandra produced songs in movies such as Anarkali, Albela, Asha, Pehli Jhhalak, Shin Shinkai Bublaa Boo, Azad and Amardeep. For Madan Mohan, she performed for films like Adalat, Railway Platform, Dekh Kabira Roya and Chacha Zindabad.
1960s
In 1960, Mangeshkar's song
Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya from
Mughal-E-Azam (1960) was composed by Naushad and picturized on Madhubala. The
Hawaiian-themed number
Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh from
Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai (1960) was composed by
Shankar-Jaikishan and picturized on
Meena Kumari.
In 1961, Mangeshkar recorded two bhajans, Allah Tero Naam and Prabhu Tero Naam, for Burman's assistant, Jaidev. In 1962, she was awarded her second Filmfare Award for the song Kahin Deep Jale Kahin Dil from Bees Saal Baad, composed by Hemant Kumar.
On June 27, 1963, against the backdrop of the Sino-Indian War, Mangeshkar sang the patriotic song Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon (literally, "Oh, the People of My Country") in the presence of Jawaharlal Nehru, then the Prime Minister of India. The song, composed by C. Ramchandra and written by Pradeep, is said to have brought the Prime Minister to tears. Later, at the insistence of S.D.Burman, the two decided to make up and sing duets, but on a personal level, they were not on good terms.
1970s
In 1972,
Meena Kumari's last film,
Pakeezah was released. It featured popular songs including
Chalte Chalte and
Inhi Logon Ne sung by Lata Mangeshkar, and composed by Ghulam Mohammed. She recorded many popular songs for S. D. Burman's last films, including
Rangeela Re from
Prem Pujari (1970),
Khilte Hain Gul Yahaan from
Sharmeelee (1971), and
Piya Bina from
Abhimaan (1973).
Lata Mangeshkar's most notable songs in 1970s were composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal (Laxmi-Pyare) and Rahul Dev Burman. She recorded several songs composed by Laxmi-Pyare in 1960s and 1970s, many of them written by the lyricst Anand Bakshi. She also recorded many hit songs with Rahul Dev Burman in the films Amar Prem (1972), Caravan (1971), Kati Patang(1971), and Aandhi (1975). The two are noted for their songs with the lyricists Majrooh Sultanpuri, Anand Bakshi and Gulzar.
In 1973, she won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the song Beeti Na Bitai from the film Parichay, composed by R. D. Burman, and written by Gulzar. In 1975, she again won the same award, this time for the song Roothe Roothe Piya from the film Kora Kagaz, composed by Kalyanji-Anandji.
From 1970s onwards, Lata Mangeshkar has also staged many concerts in India and abroad, including several charity concerts. Her first concert overseas was at the Royal Albert Hall, London, in 1974. She also released an album of Mirabai's bhajans, Chala Vaahi Des, composed by her brother Hridayanath Mangeshkar. Some of the bhajans in the album include Saanware Rang Raachi and Ud Jaa Re Kaaga. In the early 70s, she released other non-film albums, such as her collection of Ghalib ghazals, an album of Marathi folk songs (koli-geete), an album of Ganesh aartis (all composed by her brother Hridaynath) and an album of abhangs of Sant Tukaram composed by Shrinivas Khale.
In late 1970s and early 1980s, she worked with the children of composers she had earlier worked with. Some of these composers included Rahul Dev Burman (son of Sachin Dev Burman), Rajesh Roshan (son of Roshan), Anu Malik (son of Sardar Malik), and Anand-Milind (sons of Chitragupt).
1980s onwards
1980s onwards, Lata Mangeshkar worked with music directors including
Shiv-Hari,
Ram Laxman, and
A. R. Rahman. She also recorded some non-film songs, including
ghazals with
Jagjit Singh. In 1981, she recorded her first duet with
S P Balasubrahmanyam for the film
Ek Duje Ke Liye.
In 1990, Mangeshkar launched her own production house for Hindi movies which produced Lekin. She won her third National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for her song Yaara Sili Sili from the film. During the 1990s, she recorded with music directors including Jatin-Lalit and Nadeem-Shravan. She has sung for Rajshri Productions also, including Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) & Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1994).
Mangeshkar has sung for almost all the Yash Chopra films, and films from his production house Yash Raj Films, including Chandni (1989), Lamhe (1991), Darr (1993), Yeh Dillagi (1994), Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997) and later on Mohabbatein (2000), "Mujhse Dosti Karoge"" (2002) and Veer Zaara (2004).
A. R. Rahman recorded a few songs with Mangeshkar during this period, including "Jiya Jale" (Dil Se, featuring Preity Zinta), "Khamoshiyan Gungunane Lagin" (One Two Ka Four), "Ek Tu Hi Bharosa" (Pukar), "Pyaara Sa Gaon" (Zubeidaa),"Lukka chuppi" (Rang de Basanti) and "O Paalanhaare" (Lagaan).
In 1999, Lata Eau De Parfum, a perfume brand named after her, was launched.
In 2001, Lata Mangeshkar was awarded Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor. In the same year, she established the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune, managed by the Lata Mangeshkar Medical Foundation (founded by the Mangeshkar family in October 1989). In 2005, she designed a jewellery collection called Swaranjali, which was crafted by Adora, an Indian diamond export company. Five pieces from the collection raised £105,000 at a Christie's auction, and a part of the money was donated for the 2005 Pakistan earthquake relief. Also in 2001, she recorded her first Hindi song with the composer Ilaiyaraaja, for the film Lajja (2001); she had earlier recorded Tamil and Telugu songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
In 2000s, Lata Mangeshkar, along with other residents of the Peddar Road area in Mumbai, opposed the construction of a flyover in the area. She believed that construction of the flyover would increase air and noise pollution in the area, and threatened to quit the city if the flyover was built. In 2006, it was reported that she and her sister Asha Bhosle had purchased apartments in Parel and were planning to move out of Peddar Road.
Lata Mangeshkar's song Wada Na Tod is in the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) and on the film's soundtrack.
On June 21, 2007, she released an album Saadgi, featuring eight ghazal-like songs written by Javed Akhtar and composed by Mayuresh Pai.
Non-singing career
Music direction
Lata Mangeshkar composed music for the first time in 1955 for movie "Ram Ram Pavhane". Later in 1960s, she composed music for following
Marathi movies under the pseudonym of "Anand Ghan".
1960 - Ram Ram Pavhana
1963 - Maratha Tituka Melvava
1963 - Mohityanchi Manjula
1965 - Sadhi Manase
1969 - Tambadi Mati
She won Maharashtra State Government's Best Music Director Award for the film Sadhi Manase. The song Airanichya deva tula from the same film received best song award.
Production
Lata Mangeshkar has produced four films:
1953 - Vaadal (Marathi)
1953 - Jhaanjhar (Hindi), co-produced with C. Ramchandra
1955 - Kanchan (Hindi)
1990 - Lekin (Hindi)
Awards and recognitions
Lata Mangeshkar has won several awards and honors, including Padma Bhushan (1969), Padma Vibhushan (1999), Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1989), Maharashtra Bhushan Award (1997), NTR National Award (1999), Bharat Ratna (2001), ANR National Award (2009), three National Film Awards, and 12 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards. She has also won four Filmfare Best Female Playback Awards. In 1969, she made the unusual gesture of giving up the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award, in order to promote fresh talent. She was later awarded Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993.
In 1984, the State Government of Madhya Pradesh instituted the Lata Mangeshkar Award in honor of Lata Mangeshkar. The State Government of Maharashtra also instituted a Lata Mangeshkar Award in 1992.
In 1974, The Guinness Book of Records listed Lata Mangeshkar as the most recorded artist in the history, stating that she had reportedly recorded "not less than 25,000 solo, duet and chorus backed songs in 20 Indian languages" between 1948 and 1974. Her record was contested by Mohammed Rafi, who was claimed to have sung around 28,000 songs. After Rafi's death, in its 1984 edition, the Guinness Book of World Records stated Lata Mangeshkar's name for the "Most Recordings", but also stated Rafi's claim. The later editions of Guinness Book stated that Lata Mangeshkar had sung no fewer than 30,000 songs between 1948 and 1987.
Although the entry has not been printed in Guinness editions since 1991, reputable sources claim that she has recorded thousands of songs, with estimates ranging up to figures as large as 50,000. However, even the earliest Guinness claim of 25,000 songs (between 1948–1974) was claimed to be exaggerated by other sources, who stated that the number of songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar in Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu films till 1991 was found to be 5250. Mangeshkar herself stated that she does not keep a record of the number of songs recorded by her, and that she did not know from where Guinness Book editors got their information.
See also
Playback singer
Asha Bhosle
List of Indian playback singers
Bollywood songs
References
Further reading
. A collection of articles written by Lata Mangeshkar since 1952.
.
. A collection of articles written by Lata Mangeshkar since 1952.
External links
Category:1929 births
Category:Indian female singers
Category:Indian film singers
Category:Recipients of the Bharat Ratna
Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan
Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan
Category:Living people
Category:Bollywood playback singers
Category:Marathi people
Category:Kollywood playback singers
Category:People from Indore
Category:Marathi playback singers
Category:Telugu playback singers
Category:Kannada playback singers
Category:Hindi-language singers
Category:Marathi-language singers
Category:Bengali-language singers
Category:Gujarati-language singers
Category:Tamil-language singers
Category:English-language singers
Category:Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipients
Category:Recipients of the Maharashtra Bhushan Award
